Adamawa APC upbeat as stalwarts renew membership

The political landscape in Adamawa State is taking a new shape, as the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) has begun scheming to upstage the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The APC that has received some decampees from major political parties believes the 2023 general election will be in its favour. Its leadership is optimistic that more members would join its fold especially in the ongoing membership registration and revalidation exercise.

Based on this, an APC chieftain and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the party’s national leadership for the renewed direction, noting that the revalidation exercise provides the party unique opportunity to rebuild itself ahead of 2023 general polls.

According to him; ”Adamawa has always been an APC state. You know the reasons we had the unfortunate loss in 2019. We have learnt from those mistakes and I can assure you that we will reclaim our state in 2023.”

He, however, called for renewed loyalty and dedication by all to support the APC leadership, saying; ”Let me commend the party leadership at the national level, the caretaker committee, ably led by the governor of Yobe State, who has structured this revalidation and registration exercise.

”This is a very important exercise because what we are basically doing is refreshing the party by bringing in new members and also asking the existing members to revalidate their membership, because in the last six years so many things happened and we cannot claim that members that started with us are still part of us.”

The former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and presidential candidate, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, also said APC is the party to beat in 2023. Ribaldu, who also revalidated his membership, said; “You can see the enthusiasm and the passion. People have been waiting for this revalidation and registration. We are here to start afresh for our party. You can see clearly the excitement is there. I can assure you that Nigerians and indeed people of Adamawa are going to start all over again.”

He also commended the party hierarchy thus: ”We are happy. We want to thank our leadership, especially President Buhari for the initiative of giving this party back to the people at the grassroots.

”We have come; we are revalidating and we are having a new registration of those who are new. We believe this is the starting point. Like I said, the new leadership of APC today at the national level is giving us direction here in our state. It is safe to say that APC has never really experienced and enjoyed growth like this.

”Every single day, APC is growing in Adamawa. Today we have received a senator, we have received political parties. ADC is back; SDP is back, Labour Party is back and the leadership of those who are with Alhaji Adamu Modibbo has come back.

“This is an indication that APC is growing in Adamawa and we are very excited and happy. This new registration has come at the right time when all of us are going to be given equal opportunity and chance to participate fully and pursue whatever we want in our own political careers and I’m very happy about it.”

The party chieftain was upbeat that the party would regain its lost glory and winning streak, saying all aggrieved members have agreed to sheath their swords, with a promise to ensure victory for the party in the state come 2023.

”After the 2019 elections, we understood what happened and we realised that there is need for us to go extra mile and bring ourselves together and we went to work,” Ribadu said. “We started by bringing all the stakeholders and we had very frank and honest discussions, as a result we literally were able to mend all the fences, bring comfort to all, assuring everyone of us that indeed if we remain in this party, there is a chance for all, including of course the people of Adamawa.

Boss Mustapha

”Of course, it is possible that you might have problems and crises and challenges but what matters is what you do after that. We believe that today APC is one in Adamawa; we have all come back, we are working extra, because there is a lot of work ahead of us.

“We intend to bring dignity back to the people of Adamawa. We intend to work hard and insist that our people must be treated fairly and justly. We intend to bring an honest leadership, the leadership that is going to be transparent, honest, fair and just; a leadership that will bring development, growth and security to Adamawa.

“We will not be able to achieve that unless we are able to come back and work together. Now, we have accepted that there is real change. I don’t think there is any party anywhere in Nigeria today that has enjoyed growth like Adamawa APC in the last year.

“You have witnessed it; you have seen what is going on. You can see the passion in the people.”

A former governor of the state, Senator Jibrilla Umar Bindow, who lost to Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, also shared the same view that APC’s lost glory would be reclaimed in 2023. He advised his supporters in Mubi to come out in their numbers for the revalidation exercise.

But as the opposition party is positive about reclaiming the state, the Peoples Democratic Party is not losing sleep. Rather, Governor Fintiri has already intensified efforts in commissioning new development projects he initiated in the last two years. Fintiri believes that winning the grassroots people to his side is the only ace he needs to win the 2023 polls.

Interestingly, some political forces in the APC, ADC, SDP, led by the state’s former acting governor, Barka James, have also defected to PDP to join forces with Governor Fintiri. The PDP has in its fold the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who political pundits believe has all it takes to win the state for his party in 2023.

In the lineup of APC are former Governor Murtala Nyako, former Governor Bala Ngillari, Boss Mustapha, Brigadier General Buba Marwa, first lady Aisha Buhari, Dr. Halilu Modi, Senator Abdul Aziz Nyako, among others.

Observers also believe that any contest would be too close to predict based on the big names on both sides of the two major parties that are yet to conduct congresses and primaries. Pundits predict many politicians may still cross-carpet after the two major political parties have held their congresses.